Sites to find strange places near you

Some underground indie labels are releasing music exclusively on which of these old-school physical formats? Is it the … A.) Floppy disk, B.) 8-track, C.) MiniDisc or D.) USB flash drive?

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⛳ Lawn disorder: A University of Michigan study reveals men who love golfing and gardening might have an increased risk for Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS — the same paralyzing disease Stephen Hawking had. Researchers suspect pesticides with formaldehyde could be the culprit. The evidence isn’t final, so don’t quit your hobbies just yet.

FBI’s latest headache? Investment scams, which stole $4.57 billion from folks in 2023. If you’re between the ages of 30 and 49, be careful — these scammers are targeting you via crypto, social media and dating platforms. Netcraft recently shut down thousands of phony investment sites. Don’t fall for those “once-in-a-lifetime” DMs.

Is that a tablet in your pocket? Consumer Reports (paywall link) ranked phones that go the distance by using a robotic finger to simulate our relentless scrolling. Spoiler: Bigger phones = Better battery life. Top contenders include the Apple iPhone 15 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S24+ and Nothing Phone 2.

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💰 Hefty cashback: Walmart is coughing up $45 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for allegedly overcharging us on weighted goods and bagged citrus from October 2018 to January 2024. Got squeezed? You could get up to $500 if you file a claim by June 5, 2024 — no receipt is needed, but proof of your purchase might fatten your check.

Clock ticking: TikTok’s future took a huge hit this past week, with the House voting 352-65 to ban the Communist China app. Cue the chaos as small-biz folks, teachers, activists and young people hit the Capitol, waving signs about TikTok’s “crucial” role in our economy and public life (paywall link). The bill still needs to be passed by the Senate.

🐱 Looking good, feline good: Think cats are naturally coldhearted? Science begs to differ. Turns out, when you give a cat similar opportunities and challenges to the kinds we usually give dogs, like learning tricks and chasing toys, they become way more social and, dare we say, loving.

⚔️ The battlefield is changing: Drones are now the most cost-effective soldiers. A $20,000 Shahed drone took the lives of three U.S. servicemembers in Jordan, and Ukrainian maritime drones sank a $70 million Russian warship. Yep — minimal investment for massive damage. And AI could soon control entire drone swarms. Scary stuff.